Pretender to the Throne
}} Haley and Belkar return to the headquarters of the Resistance and execute a scheme to release Thanh from Tsukiko's Domination. Cast * Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶ * Haley Starshine ◀ ▶ * Belkar Bitterleaf ◀ ▶ (also as Shojo ◀ ▶) * Mr. Scruffy ◀ ▶ * Redcloak (on a banner) ◀ ▶ * Ho Thanh (dominated) ◀ ▶ * Niu ◀ ▶ * Female Resistance Cleric ▶ * Male Resistance Cleric ▶ * Four Azure City Soldiers * Seven Azurite Freed Slaves Transcript A large cavern with multiple passages and ladders to higher passages. A large banner with Redcloaks face crossed out hangs on the wall. Soldiers stand guard while the freed slaves stand around. Haley arrives with the cart. Male Cleric: Welcome back! You've done it again, Haley. The people of Azure City are in your debt. Haley: Cool. I accept Visa and MasterCard. Female Cleric: Oh! You've been injured! Male Cleric: Cure Moderate Wounds! Female Cleric: Cure Moderate Wounds! Male Cleric: Cure Moderate Wounds! Haley: Thanks, guys. Haley: But we've got bigger problems than a few scratches. Thanh here has been Dominated by Tsukiko. Female Cleric: Really? He hardly seems the sort to be into that type of— Haley: Not that kind of dominated. Female Cleric: Oh. Female Cleric: Haley, if we had access to 3rd-level spells like Dispel Magic, our food shortages would be easily fixable. Male Cleric: We might have a scroll in the pile we salvaged from the temple though... Haley: No... if you do, save it. I just go another idea that might work. Belkar: Yeah... kick that string's ass, Mr. Scruffy. A short time later Belkar (dressed as Lord Shojo): I feel ridiculous. How is this supposed to help? Haley: I'll explain later. Haley: OK, wake him up and then back off a good distance. Male Cleric: Cure Light Wounds! Haley: Hey, Thanh! Look! It's your master, Lord Shojo! Belkar: What?!?! Haley (whispering): Play along. Ho Thanh: Must... attack... Belkar: Uh, yes! It's me, Lord Shojo! Belkar: Mr. Scruffy says don't attack me. It would be wrong. Belkar: Did I mention that I have no weapons and am easily pushing 80 years old? Thanh: Must... attack... Haley (whispering): Geez, could you at least TRY to sound a little more like him? Belkar (whispering): Why don't we get the party bard to do it? Belkar (whispering): Oh, right, he sailed away from your overly-critical fat ass. Belkar: Uh... strike me down and I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine! Thanh: Must... attack... Thanh: ...but...Lord Shojo... Thanh: NO!! Thanh: No, I cannot! To strike down my liege would violate everything I believe! Thanh reverses his katana. Thanh: I should take my own life for even considering such an act. Haley: Whoa, whoa, whoa! No need for that, it's just Belkar. The spell's all gone now. Thanh: Yes... I feel my head clearing... Male priest: Here, this way, Thanh. You need rest. Thanh: Where did my shoes go? Belkar: I have absolutely no idea what just happened here... Haley: It's easy. We used a loophole to break Tsukiko's enchantment. Haley: Magic domination can be broken if the order given is against the subject's true nature right? Haley: And what's the one act that we know—through direct empirical evidence—can cause a paladin to be stripped of his powers? Haley: Killing their defenseless liege lord! Haley: So it stood to reason that as such, doing so would be against Thanh's true nature, and he would get a new saving throw. Haley: I'm just glad having the real Mr. Scruffy gave you such a good circumstance bonus to your Disguise check to look like him. Belkar: I was BAIT?? What if he didn't but it? Or worse, what if he did but it turned out he was "Miko 2: Electric Bugaloo" and did the deed anyway?!? Belkar: I could have been killed! Haley: Yeah, I though of that... Haley: But then I realized that you just proved that there's plenty of room on the cart for your corpse. Haley: So I tried it anyway. Belkar: Ha ha, very funny, Haley. But I know that you wouldn't let me get killed to save some NPC paladin, just because he's loyal and trustworthy and honest and— Belkar: ... Belkar: Ah, crap. D&D Context * The priests use three Cure Moderate Wounds spells which heal 2d8+1/level HP to heal Haley because they are too low-level to use the more effective Cure Serious (3d8+1/level), Cure Critical Wounds (4d8+1/level), Cure Deadly Wounds (5d8+1/level), or Heal (heal to max hp) spells. * The male cleric also used a Cure Light Wounds. * Dominate Person lasts 1 day/level, which for Tsukiko is probably at least link|485983}} 11 days. Dispel magic is a 3rd level spell that can end the effect. Dominated persons forced to perform an action against their nature get a new saving throw (at +2) to cast off the effect. * Miko Miyazaki lost her paladin status due to killing Lord Shojo in #407. * Create Food and Water is also a 3rd-level spell, requiring a 5th-level character to cast it. Trivia * This is the first appearance of the Resistance Clerics. * The hairstyle of the male priest is reminiscent of the chonmage worn by samurai during the Edo period. * The BDSM gag from #521 is continued here by the female priest. * Belkar (as Shojo) references Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars Episode IV when he says to Darth Vader, "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." * Thanh loses his shoes to a wight between #516 and #517, which delivers on the joke about "walk a mile in their shoes." Belkar notices their absence in #522. * Belkar makes reference to the 1984 sequel Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. External Links * 524}} View the comic * 70300}} View the discussion thread Category:Uses Cure Moderate Wounds Category:Uses Cure Light Wounds Category:Uses cure wounds Category:Haley Leads the Resistance